Public safety has featured as a priority in this year’s proposed changes to duck hunting regulations for future seasons as the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions welcomes consultation from the public, hunters and conservationists.
The DJSIR has developed the proposed regulations to replace the current Wildlife (Game) Interim Regulations 2023, which expire in September 2024.
The proposals were opened for public comment on Monday, July 1 and will close on July 29.
A regulatory impact statement outlining the government’s proposal is also available for comment.
The proposed regulations have been developed in consultation with hunting groups, animal welfare and animal advocacy groups, firearm retailers, government agencies and a representative body of traditional owners.
Key changes to improve safety include commencing the season mid-week rather than on a Saturday and not allowing shooting to start until 8am during that first week of the season.
After that, hunting can begin from half an hour before sunrise.
Access to hunting areas by non-authorised people would only be possible after 11am during the first week of the season.
Other changes proposed include returning the season length to 82 days (from 56 in 2024), increasing the duck bag limit to 10 and banning the use of electronic acoustic calls.
Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting submitted its opposition to most changes, labelling eight of them as ‘unacceptable’.
The group has sought greater attention to environmental impacts, particularly pollution caused by spent plastic shotgun cartridges and the need for lead shot to be banned for quail hunting ‘immediately’.
A statement from RVOTDS said a further 13 issues were being ‘ignored’, suggesting that all shotguns needed to be fitted with Go-Pro cameras which activated upon leaving a gun safe and that GMA administration had a ‘worrying’ lack of specifics.
“Detail must be made clear and transparent to the public before any regulations are confirmed,” the statement said.
RVOTDS also said nearby disadvantaged landowners needed compensation, hunting areas needed a ‘vast’ reduction in size and that economic surveys needed to be funded only by hunters.
The group also called for a ban on all decoys.
Field & Game Australia chief executive Lucas Cooke remained upbeat about the state government’s commitment to ‘responsible and sustainable’ hunting, but said FGA remained critical of aspects of the anti-hunting rhetoric in some of the recommendations.
Mr Cooke said FGA continued its preference for science-based decision-making and urged a balanced regulatory framework that reflected hunters’ contributions to wildlife and ecosystem management.
“FGA is concerned that the rhetoric of extreme activist groups has been allowed to influence these proposed regulations,” Mr Cooke said.
“And we welcome a change in some of that rhetoric included in these proposed regulations — including acknowledgement of the economical and social benefits to Victoria provided by regulated game hunting.
“These rules should support responsible hunters and not give undue weight to ideology aiming to ban legal, sustainable practices.”